The Clash
by Pandora151
Summary: When Young Link first arrives to the Smash Mansion, he is shocked and disappointed to see his older self. But after the two Links are put together in a team battle, he learns there's more to his older self than he thought he knew. Slightly AU. Rated T.


**The Clash**

**Author's Note: Hello! So this is my first fanfic ever (I'm actually really nervous at the moment). I'm not really the best writer so I'll take any constructive criticism (no flames though please). ermmm so in this story it's kind of a mix between Melee and Brawl, since there are characters from both. Also, Link in this story is Oot and MM Link, but Young Link just finished OOT and came to the mansion (in case it's not clear in the story). I'll have more comments about...everything at the end so...happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own SSB**

* * *

In the dead of night, a boy sat up in his cell, quickly gathering his supplies. He grabbed the paper and envelope crumpled next to him and climbed up to the windowsill. Looking down, he realized it would be about a three-story drop, but it was well worth the risk.

While sitting at the windowsill, he took out the envelope stuffed into his pocket and studied the return address. It was quite far away, but he knew he had no choice. Staying in Hyrule was dangerous now. The ground below him was clear of any guards so he quickly dropped down into the castle's courtyard and shrunk into the shadows.

After sneaking around the castle, he found his horse waiting obediently outside the gates, as though she knew he would come, and left quietly. He hoped that no one would notice his absence until the next morning, when the guards would take him out of his cell to his death. He shook his head as he sped away from the castle, trying to rid himself of these thoughts.

In the forest south of Hyrule, he stopped when he knew he was alone. He sat down next to a tree and took out the envelope once again. The address was committed to his memory, but he found himself checking it every few hours anyway. It made sense, he had to make sure that he would survive, and this was his only option. He drank some water from his bottle, and looked down at the brightly colored envelope in his lap, reading the top line of the return address for probably the thousandth time: _Smash Mansion_.

* * *

It has only been a week since Young Link arrived at Smash Mansion. Link has tried to spend time with the boy, but his younger self seemed very intent on avoiding the older Hero of Time. However, the two Links were coincidentally sitting next to each other during breakfast, which gave Link his chance. "So," he said conversationally, "how do you like Smash Mansion so far?"

The boy only glanced at him briefly and ignored him, biting into a muffin. Link opened his mouth to speak, but Mario (the designated leader of the Smashers) suddenly stood up and clapped his hands loudly.

"Alright everyone," he called, "The first tournament of the year will start in about 2 weeks, but we will have a few team matches today and tomorrow. This is just for the newbies to familiarize themselves with fighting. However, each match will have 3 newbies and 1 veteran just to show them how it's done." He smiled and took a piece of paper out of his pocket. After unfolding the paper and putting on his reading glasses, Mario read the contents aloud. "Before I read this, remember I did not make these decisions; they were all done by Master Hand. The first match will be today at 11:00 AM; Ganondorf and the Ice Climbers versus Young Link and Link."

Young Link did not bother listening to the rest of the announcement. It annoyed him to no end that he would have to work with his older self (someone he did not actually want to be in the future) to defeat his (or rather, their) enemy, Ganondorf. He immediately wondered if Master Hand knew of his dislike of his older self. The younger Link believed that his older self was self-absorbed and walked around as though he owned the mansion. He was shocked when he saw his older self initially because he believed that Link was nothing like himself.

As soon as Mario's announcement ended, Young Link tried to run away from the table, but found his older self gripping his wrist. The young man looked at him intently before saying, "We should discuss some strategy."

Young Link shook his head and tried to free his wrist from Link's tight grip. Finally, he gave up and said, "I see no reason why we should. But you are clearly not letting me make my own choices." He put enough venom in his voice to have Link release his hand in shock.

"Fine," Link said gently. "Can you at least explain to me why you have been avoiding me for the past week? I've really wanted to hang out with you, but you always run away or ignore me."

The boy rolled his eyes. "Are we done having this conversation?" he asked, instead of responding to his older self's own question.

Link frowned. "No. You didn't answer my question."

Immediately, the younger Link responded, expressing all of his emotions. "I despise you. It annoys me that my future self is such an awful person. I always thought that I would grow so much in the future, and I would be a better person. Looking at you, I realized I was wrong. I will become so self-absorbed and annoying, and you are evidence of that." By the time he finished speaking, the few Smashers remaining in the kitchen stopped what they were doing and were listening to him. Before his older self could respond, the boy ran away from the kitchen and escaped to the comforts of his bedroom.

Link slowly sank into his chair, his eyes wide with shock. As Zelda approached him, the rest of the Smashers left. She sat down next to him, neither of them saying a word. "You know what he said is not true," she finally said.

"I..." He seemed unable to respond. "I was only ever so narrow-minded right after you sent me back in time," he said finally, his voice shaking. "I know he's insecure, but after a while it will be alright. He's just not used to this." He sighed. "I wasn't used to this, I suppose."

Zelda didn't respond. Link stood up. "Well, I should get ready for the match. I'll see you afterwards?" he said quietly. She nodded, and he left quickly. She never really thought about her decision to send Link back in time after his journey; she just assumed it was naturally the right thing to do. She sighed, remembering how angry and insecure Link was after he went back in time, and realized she was the only person who could help Young Link adjust to the mansion.

* * *

Young Link carefully unsheathed his sword and examined it. He considered going to practice in the training room before his match started, but there was only 30 minutes until the match at the time, and he was sure that his so-called partner would be training. So he sat in his room, deciding to save his energy for the first match of the year.

There will be a total of 5 matches today, each of them featuring 3 newbies and one veteran, just like Young Link's match. All Smashers were required to watch all five of the matches, but he did not want to watch any other matches. It forced him to interact with other Smashers, which was disconcerting since he preferred to be alone. Despite the many children of his age in the mansion, he didn't bother talking to any of them because he felt it was unnecessary; why spend time with people who would later break your heart?

He looked up from his sword and glanced at the clock. 10:52 AM. He stood up, gathered his belongings, and left the room. As he began walking towards the staircase, he heard someone behind him shout, "Hey!"

Link turned around, and saw a little girl in a pink parka waving to him. She walked to him and smiled sweetly. "You're Link, right?" Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, showing great energy.

With a start, he realized she did not mention his older self. Anyone who tried to speak to Young Link spoke of his older self as though he was some sort of god, or worse, someone who looked so much like Young Link. He smiled for the first time that day. "Yes," he said carefully, "I'm Link."

"I'm Nana," she replied. They started walking side by side, in a comfortable silence. As they began to descend the stairs, she spoke again, her voice soft and musical. "Are you ready for the match?" She fidgeted with her fingers as she spoke, staring shyly at him.

Link answered carefully, remembering that she was his opponent today. "I think so," he responded. He was about to make a snarky comment about how much he hated being his older self's partner, but was reminded that she had Ganondorf to deal with, who was marginally worse than the Hero of Time.

"I just wish we weren't on a team with Ganondorf," she admitted, echoing his thoughts. "He's so scary-looking. And I feel like he might do something that he shouldn't." They reached the first floor, and entered the living room where they were supposed to arrive. The girl smiled at him, and then walked towards a boy wearing a similar parka, except in blue.

At exactly 11:00 AM, Mario walked into the room, smiling. "Are you all ready?" The four (well, five) competitors nodded, their expressions serious. Mario walked to a door pulsing with a bright white light. "This will take you to the stadium. Once the match is over, you will automatically be teleported back to this room. Please be sure to enter one at a time, in order to prevent confusion." The plumber smiled at them again. "Good luck!"

Link—the older one, that is—spoke to the others. "Usually we enter in order that the match was announced. So, if you remember from this morning, the order is Ganondorf, the Ice Climbers, Young Link, and then myself." He watched as Ganondorf, with an evil grin on his face, turned to face the portal and walked into the light. Instantly, the hero knew that his enemy was planning something, and pledged to stop him. For Young Link's sake.

* * *

When Young Link opened his eyes, he realized he was at the stadium. He saw the screaming crowd, but did not recognize anyone sitting nearby. With a start, he realized he was wearing a blue tunic instead of his usual green. Ganondorf and the Ice Climbers (the girl smiled at him as soon as he saw her) were standing across from him, with the Gerudo King standing atop a platform, and the twins directly below him. Immediately, he looked up and saw his older self appear on the platform above him.

Suddenly, a loud voice from a microphone cut through the air. "3...2...1...GO!"

Without thinking, he jumped onto the platform and swung his sword at Ganondorf. The Gerudo King looked shocked only for a moment, then regained his composure and fought back. He was vaguely aware of Link fighting the Ice Climbers below him. He knew his older self would have little to no trouble fighting the twins, so he focused on getting Ganondorf knocked off the platform. However, the evil king had no problems blocking his attacks and even managed to hit Young Link twice. Before Ganondorf could strike him, he swung his sword, and jumped back. As he landed on his feet, a sound resonated throughout the stadium.

_Clink_. He suddenly realized that the Ice Climbers must have frozen Link, which resulted in the sound. He glanced down towards his older self, who was frozen into a block of ice by the Ice Climbers. As he looked up, he saw Ganondorf strike at him and he quickly blocked the attack with his shield. They fought like this for a few moments, with Ganondorf attempting to punch him, only to be blocked by the Kokiri shield. After a few seconds, the Gerudo King got a hold of Young Link's shield and threw it off the stadium. Before the boy could react, his sword was also ripped from his grip and thrown aside. Ganondorf chuckled darkly. "Finally," he said, "I will get the Triforce of Courage!" He drew a dagger out of a sheath hidden by his cloak. Since the dagger was not a registered weapon, he knew its harm will not be prevented by the pain simulator.

Although the Ice Climbers were supposed to be on the same team as Ganondorf, Nana realized what he was about to do. Unfortunately for her, it was too late. As she ran towards Ganondorf with her weapon ready, the villain quickly whipped around and kicked her and Popo off the stage. The three Hyruleans were left then: the Gerudo King, the frozen Hero of Time, and Young Link.

The boy jumped up to the platform above him, hoping to run around Ganondorf to receive his sword. As much as he despised his older self, he knew it was wrong to give up and not fight. However, Ganondorf followed his actions and jumped on to the other side of the platform. He stood in front of Young Link, his dagger gleaming with a sickening green light.

"It's time to say goodbye, little boy," the Gerudo King said with a grin. He drew the dagger back and prepared to strike the boy through his heart. Young Link found himself frozen and unable to move. He closed his eyes, waiting for the pain.

The pain never came. He heard someone shout, "No!", and then he was suddenly pushed harshly off the platform. He landed on the ground below and opened his eyes then. Shocked, he watched as the Gerudo King drove the poison-laced dagger into the stomach of his older self, no longer in a block of ice. Link's eyes widened fractionally, and he fell off the platform, landing on his back on the floor with a sickening _crunch_. Ganondorf began to laugh in victory, but Young Link watched Link as he gripped the dagger hilt protruding from his stomach and slowly staggered into a standing position, wincing. Suddenly, the Triforce on Link's left hand began to pulse an unnatural white light, stunning Ganondorf.

The furious Hero of Time slowly drew the dagger out of his stomach without showing any pain in his expression; he only screamed in anger, his voice projecting throughout the stadium. He struck Ganondorf (who was still covering his eyes from the bright light of the Triforce) with a surprising force using his own Master Sword. Ganondorf flew off the stage. As the announcer called "GAME!", Young Link watched the Gerudo King's dagger slip out of the sweaty right hand of the Hero of Time.

At that moment, there was a flash of white light.

Within a few seconds, Young Link found himself teleported back to the waiting room. There was another flash of bright white light, and Link appeared, pale. Young Link couldn't look at him. He was struck by the realization that he owed his life to someone he hated. Someone who he couldn't stand. Himself. At that moment, he heard Link gasp in pain. The door opened, and Zelda ran in, catching Link in her arms the moment he began to sway forward. The hero tried to speak, but couldn't. Blood stained the front of his tunic, and he knew that something inside of him was broken or bleeding or both.

"Mario's on the way with a stretcher," Zelda said softly. "You'll be fine. Just try to stay awake for now." Slowly, she sat down with Link's head in her lap. She tried not to cry, but she could feel the tears in her eyes. She could tell just by Link's expression that the stab wound was serious.

The door opened again, and Marth quickly walked towards them and knelt next to them. "I don't understand," he said thoughtfully. "All weapons that go into the stadium are put under the damage counter, so that no one actually gets hurt. How did Ganondorf get that dagger to...?" He couldn't finish his sentence, so he closed his eyes and stood up.

Link closed his eyes tight and then opened them slightly, his azure gaze resting on Young Link. "L-l-link," he whispered, and he fell into the darkness, despite Zelda frantically shaking him. Young Link spun around and ran away, trying to prevent the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes.

He ran as fast as he could, away from the waiting room and the Hylians and all the other Smashers. Desperately, he hoped to escape the mansion and run all the way back to Hyrule (even though he had no idea how to get back there), but before he could open the front door, two arms were holding him back.

Nana turned him around and immediately hugged him, her tears staining his tunic. He allowed his head to fall on her shoulder and cried. After a few seconds he lifted his head and sighed. She stepped away from him and wiped her eyes. "This is my fault," she said softly, her voice quavering.

He couldn't speak. He wanted to tell her it wasn't, that he should have jumped off the platform, or even defeated Ganondorf earlier in the match, but his voice felt stuck in his throat. Instead, he numbly shook his head.

"I...I had a feeling Ganondorf was going to do something, but I wasn't sure. Popo and I...we should have been more careful. And now I don't know what's going to happen," she sniffled. He cringed as she spoke, not wanting to believe that it was her fault. Because it wasn't.

"Nana," he said softly, "he was planning this for a while. I doubt it was your fault. And..." he wasn't able to finish the sentence. He knew, deep down, that if Link didn't push him off the platform, he wouldn't be standing before her. Actually, if he wasn't saved at that moment, he would probably be dead right now. He shuddered. "I almost died," he finished lamely. She nodded, her eyes filled with tears.

"Hey!" a voice called. Marth was walking towards them, his expression solemn. His normally calm eyes were filled with torment. "Master Hand wants to talk to you,Young Link. He needs to know what happened exactly." Young Link nodded at the prince and they left Nana, who went to look for her brother.

* * *

She sat outside the infirmary for what felt like days. Peach came by at some point, but Zelda's mind was so numb that she was unable to speak. After an hour, the bubbly Princess of Mushroom Kingdom gave up on trying to speak to Zelda, and left, frustrated. After she left, Zelda would try to peek inside through the window pane on the door, but she couldn't see anything.

It was only 2 hours after the match ended when Samus arrived, wearing her Zero-Suit. She held a plate full of salad and a glass of water and gave it to Zelda. "You must eat," she said solemnly. "We don't want anything happening to you while..." She trailed off.

Zelda nodded silently. She felt tears forming in her eyes, but this time, she let them fall, realizing it was no use to try to stop crying. Suddenly, Samus was hugging her, and she wanted desperately to hug her back, but her arms were glued to her sides. She tried to speak again, but her voice felt lost in her throat.

Dr. Mario stepped out of the infirmary, his face pale. Zelda jumped up suddenly, her eyes wide with concern. She started towards the doctor, but Samus gave her a look. Clearly, Dr. Mario was shocked by what happened, just as they were. "Samus," he finally said, "may I speak to you?"

The bounty hunter smiled graciously, standing up. "Of course." The two Smashers left Zelda, who sighed and sat down to eat her lunch.

Samus and Dr. Mario walked towards the end of the hallway in silence, until the bounty hunter spoke. "How's Link?" she asked gently. The doctor sighed and sat down in his chair, his face in his hands. After a few seconds, he looked up.

"I'm afraid he is in a very critical condition now," he responded. "However, if treated correctly, he should be fine eventually. It will be a very slow process." He smiled sadly. "I didn't want to worry Zelda so much, but the dagger was poisoned heavily. Right now, he has a fever, but it will get worse."

Samus frowned. She realized Dr. Mario wanted her to tell Zelda. Her voice felt caught in her throat, but she turned around anyway and walked towards Zelda. Quickly, she repeated everything the doctor said to the princess. Zelda, surprisingly, was not extremely disheartened and asked to go inside the infirmary. The three entered the room, Zelda holding her breath as she walked towards the prone figure on the bed.

Link's breathing was laboured, and his face glistened with sweat. Zelda watched him shiver and whisper in his sleep. The doctor sighed. "He's been saying that for the past hour. Do you know what language it is, Princess?"

She nodded. "It's ancient Hylian," she said softly. "I didn't know Link knew this language, though." She listened to him speak softly, his voice so quiet that anyone a few feet away would not be able to hear. "I do not understand enough of the language to know what he is saying." She sat down next to his bed in a chair.

"It must be the fever speaking then," Dr. Mario responded. He stepped closer to the Hylian duo, his face expressive. "I need to go down to storage to get some medicine, Princess. Can you and Samus stay here until I return?" The Princess of Hyrule nodded, and slowly placed her head on Link's forehead. Almost immediately, she gasped and removed her hand from the extreme heat. Dr. Mario turned around and quickly left the room, unable to watch.

* * *

The doors seemed more daunting than all of the other doors in Smash Mansion, even though all the doors appeared the same. Young Link paused in front of the infirmary door, part of him desperately wanting to turn around and run away, but the other part so consumed by guilt that he cannot imagine escaping. It's been five hours since the incident, and he has been desperately wondering about the other Link's condition. He was worried that no announcement has been made, and everyone who visited Link—Marth, Ike, Samus, and Zelda, especially—did not reveal anything.

Slowly, he placed his hand on the bronze knob and twisted. As he walked inside, he saw Zelda, with her back towards him, sitting next to Link's cot. She must have heard him come in because she turned around and smiled sadly at Young Link as he approached her. His voice caught in his throat (for the second time that day) when he saw her.

He felt the tears forming in his eyes, but he blinked, hard, to prevent them from falling. He cleared his throat instead, and spoke, his voice cracking. "Master Hand has decided to kick Ganondorf out of the tournament. And all the matches scheduled for today have been cancelled," he said bluntly.

Zelda stared at him, her mouth slightly open in surprise. She swallowed and walked to a sink in the corner of the room. A few seconds later, she returned with a glass of water in her hands, which she gave to Young Link. He took it, his hands trembling, with a questioning look on his face. "You look like you need it," she explained. Immediately he drank the water and sighed, his stress reducing slightly. His shoulders sagged from an invisible weight and he sat down.

The Princess of Hyrule studied him carefully. She never really spoke to Young Link before this day since he was so ardently focused on avoiding her. "You can cry," she said softly. "I know you're worried and scared." He shook his head, and stood up, not looking as shaken as he did minutes ago.

"I'm fine," he quipped. She was stunned by his sudden change in character, but just nodded in response. "I thought I should let you know that Ganondorf will no longer bother any of us. That's why I'm here." He immediately turned around and left quickly, giving Zelda no opportunity to stop him.

For the millionth time that day, she sighed and sat down next to Link's bed, hoping that everything will be okay. She watched him sleep, his face tight in pain and his fists squeezing the blankets. Every few minutes, he would whisper her name and his grip would tighten on the blankets. She knew he was getting worse, but she didn't know what to do, and she hated it. She didn't like not knowing what to do in difficult situations. It made her question her possession of the Triforce of Wisdom.

The door opened, again, and Dr. Mario returned. He walked quickly to Link, took his temperature, and frowned. He looked at Zelda for a few moments before he opened a cupboard and took out some bandages. Zelda watched as he changed Link's bandages, trying not to cry.

The doctor finished and threw away the old bandages. "Zelda," he said gently, "the fever has worsened."

She felt tears spilling down her cheeks, but wiped them quickly. "I know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But—"

Dr. Mario smiled as he interrupted her. "You didn't let me finish," he said, sitting down on his stool. "The fever has worsened, but Link is no longer in critical condition. The fever is fighting off the poison slowly."

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The tears were running down her face, but she was smiling for the first time in hours, and it will all be okay. That's all that mattered.

The doctor continued speaking. "It will take a few weeks until everything is back to normal. The poison will be gone in a week completely, but the wound will take much longer to heal. I will need your help to speed up Link's recovery. Starting tomorrow, I would like you to bring breakfast to him in the mornings. I expect he will wake up during the night." Zelda immediately consented.

Although it was now night, the room didn't seem so dark anymore; Zelda can see the light of hope penetrating the entire mansion.

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the infirmary as the inhabitants of the Smash Mansion woke up. Zelda shifted uncomfortably in her chair next to Link's bed, struggling to stay awake. She has been awake the whole night, waiting for Link to wake. He didn't. She hoped it was because Link was generally a heavy sleeper, and not because he was getting worse. She looked outside the window for the thousandth time, her hand suddenly resting lightly on Link's arm. The Triforce on her right hand glowed, as it normally did when she was near him. She felt his arm move suddenly, and she jumped out of her chair, her eyes wide.

Dr. Mario, who was at the moment looking at his computer, stood up and walked towards them. She felt tears forming in her eyes, but she closed her eyes instead. When she opened her eyes, she realized Link's eyes were slightly open too. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. She smiled at him, not sure of what she should say right then so the moment would not be ruined.

"Zelda," the doctor said, smiling. "I would like you to get some food for the three of us." She nodded and left immediately, glad to leave. She ran down the stairs and filled a large plate with all the food that she can. It was late in the morning, so most of the Smashers were done eating breakfast. However, Young Link watched her as he ate his breakfast, his eyes wide with curiosity. He didn't dare to ask her anything, and continued eating, hoping that she didn't see him.

When she entered the infirmary again, the doctor stopped her before she can approach Link. "The fever is still strong," he warned. "We must be careful. The poison has made him unable to speak." She stared. Link can't talk? He wasn't the most talkative person usually, but she found his voice comforting because it reminded her of Hyrule.

She walked around the doctor and walked towards the bed. Link stared at her, his eyes filled with worry and unimaginable pain. He coughed, and blood splattered onto the sleeve of his shirt. Zelda gasped in shock, the plate in her hands almost slipping from her grip. She quickly turned around towards Dr. Mario, who was nodding encouragingly. Smiling, she sat down in her chair. Finally, she spoke.

"I know you said you wanted to see me after your match, but I didn't think this was what you meant," she said softly. Immediately, Link smiled warmly back at her, his eyes sparkling with laughter. He eyed the plate in her hands, hoping that the food was for him. After a little encouragement, she was feeding him the food gently.

"So," she began as an awkward silence consumed them, "the tournament's been pushed back." She paused, watching as his half-lidded eyes widened in interest. "I know you want to participate, but don't push yourself. Dr. Mario thinks it will take a few weeks." Link frowned. For the fifth time, he opened his mouth, but no words came out. No sounds, nothing.

She sighed and leaned back on her chair, her exhaustion finally catching up with her. She let her eyes close, hoping a quick nap will fix everything. Time passed, but she didn't really know how many minutes, or hours, had gone by until she opened her eyes again. When she woke, Link was staring at her, his face pale. His hand was pressed firmly onto his stomach, and his eyes were practically screaming.

Suddenly, coughs ripped from his body, and his shoulders shook. He stopped coughing after a few seconds, gasping for air. Blood stained the quilts and the sheets on the bed. Zelda, who jumped on her feet as soon as he began coughing, felt tears forming in her eyes. Link finally looked up at her, weak from exhaustion. She watched him as he breathed slowly, his eyes closing momentarily. After a few seconds, he opened them. "Stop."

She looked at him, her eyes still filled with tears, but her smile eliminating all her sadness. "What?" she whispered.

"Stop crying," he breathed. His voice was nothing more than a whisper, almost nothing compared what it used to be, but it was enough. She wiped the tears from her face, smiling fully for the first time in many hours. He slipped into unconsciousness again when he saw her smile, knowing that he succeeded.

* * *

Young Link sat at the breakfast table, his stomach empty, and his plate full of food. He was about to start eating when he realized that Zelda wasn't here. For the past three days, she would come around breakfast time to get food for Link, and then disappear upstairs into the infirmary. Today she didn't. He looked around the room carefully, and bit into his muffin. Instantly the door opened, and Samus appeared, looking disheveled. She held the door open as Zelda walked in, followed by Marth, who was helping someone through the door. Young Link's eyes widened in shock.

Link stood there, leaning heavily on Marth, his face flushed. He wore a large white T-shirt and sweatpants, and his eyes sparkled with both pain and determination.

The room immediately fell silent. All the Smashers seemed to be frozen in time, unsure of how to react. After a few moments, Captain Falcon jumped out of his chair and allowed the hero to sit. Link sat and hunched over, gasping in pain. Zelda suddenly appeared next to him with a plate of food. She placed the plate before him and knelt down. She spoke quietly into his ear, so quietly that no one could hear. He nodded, and then slowly looked up. Link smiled softly and cleared his throat. "I have something to say," he announced. Young Link winced at how hoarse his voice sounded.

"I know you guys have all been really worried about me, so I wanted to say thanks." He grimaced has he shifted in his seat and continued. "These past few days have been really tough. Dr. Mario says that if the blade was a few centimeters higher, I wouldn't be sitting in front of you right now." He coughed, his thin frame convulsing. "And I should be back to normal in a few weeks, so don't worry." He smiled weakly again, and picked up his fork to start eating.

"Wait," Young Link said suddenly without thinking. In an instant, he felt all of the Smashers staring at him. He realized he didn't know what he was supposed to say. He looked at Link, who put his fork down and nodded at him to continue.

"You all saw what happened on that day," Young Link began, his voice quavering. "I—It—Well..." His voice felt stuck in his throat. Everything felt wrong now, the way everyone was staring at him accusingly. They all knew it was his fault. He looked into his lap, disappointed.

"Link," he heard his older self say softly. "It's okay; none of us mean any harm."

He nodded, and spoke again. "That blade was meant for me," he said bluntly. He finally looked up across the room at Link. "But you knocked me off and it hit you instead. And I know that if you didn't do that, I would have died." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I have treated you with so much disrespect and anger, and I regret it. I didn't understand anything you went through, and I was worried so much about the past and future because...I just came back from my future, and it was dark." He looked at Link, who nodded in understanding.

"But that doesn't matter now," he said loudly. "I have wronged you, and for that, I'm sorry. And you have saved my life...so for that, I thank you."

The older Link seemed lost in thought, but he looked up after a few seconds. "Link," he said finally—his voice was quiet, and he knew that it would be only a few more words until the poison would take his voice away again—"I understand everything you went through because I went through it myself. But, you should know..." He swallowed, hoping his voice will stay. "I would not be able to watch any harm come to you. I had to save you. I had no choice." The last sentence came out as a whisper. He tried to speak again, but no sound came out of his mouth.

The entire kitchen was silent. It was as though a spell was cast and no one was able to speak. Finally, Young Link felt at peace. "You have reassured me. Thank you," he said softly. He continued to nibble at his muffin, watching as everyone else began to eat as well. Slowly, the sound of voices filled the air. Everyone ate breakfast as normal. Young Link quickly finished his food and walked towards Link, who was still eating. His movements were slow and sluggish, and Young Link could see that he was exhausted.

Link looked up from his food and saw Young Link standing next to him. He smiled again, an exhausted yet strong smile that had a language of its own. The smile was probably what broke him then, because Young Link suddenly fell on his knees, sobbing. In the back of his mind, he realized that he was free, and lost all insecurities. He knew that everyone was watching him again, but he didn't care. Suddenly, he felt someone hugging him. He heard a quiet gasp of pain, and he immediately looked up. Link was on his knees, comforting him. His eyes, however, seemed to be screaming what his voice could not say. He looked down, and saw, to his horror, that Link's shirt was slick with blood. The wound must have torn open when Link hugged him.

Zelda kneeled down next to them and slowly brought Link to his feet. The hero swayed dangerously on his feet, and Young Link hastily wiped the tears from his eyes. She opened the door to the kitchen and they quickly left, letting Link's arm drape around her shoulder as he leaned on her. Young Link, still on his knees, stood up slowly, trembling. He eyed the blood on the floor and his hands. Jumping suddenly, he raced through the door and sprinted to the staircase, where Zelda and Link stood. Panting, Young Link ran up to them. "Please," he said between breaths. "Let me help."

Link, with his eyes half-open, smiled at him again, although his hand was clutching his stomach and his eyes were now screaming in agony. For the first time, Young Link smiled back. Everything felt all right now. Zelda slowly walked Link up the stairs, with Young Link following them. They finally reached the second floor when Link lost consciousness. Zelda screamed when she felt his bloody hand slip from her shoulder.

The dream was given a sliver of hope, only to become a nightmare yet again.

* * *

They quickly brought Link infirmary, and once again, Zelda found herself waiting anxiously outside yet again. The only difference was that this time, Young Link sat next to her. Luckily, Dr. Mario came out after a few minutes, and his expression was not desolate. "Zelda," he reprimanded with a small smile, "I told you to not let him push himself; but he seems to have done exactly that."

Zelda didn't know whether to laugh or cry so she waited for him to continue. "The poison is stronger than we thought. We must wait until the poison is completely gone before we allow him to move around again." He then explained that since Link's wound opened, he will perform a small operation to completely remove the poison and stitch the wound.

She immediately jumped out of her chair. "You can't do that!" she shrieked. "What if something goes wrong?"

Young Link watched as the doctor explained that the operation will not fail, and that it was extremely small, but extremely important. They walked into the infirmary as the doctor spoke, his voice warm with confidence. Link was awake, but he seemed not to hear anything the doctor said, because he appeared confused. He opened his mouth, and closed it in frustration when he realized his voice still failed him.

After a few seconds, Dr. Mario approached the hero. "It seems that your voice has not been restored yet, Link. The poison has grown in strength, unfortunately. The best thing to do at this point is to remove the poisoned tissue from your stomach. We also need to fix everything that's been damaged by the dagger. The rest of the poison will slowly fade away in a few days."

Link motioned for a pen and paper, which Zelda quickly gave to him. _"So, you mean I'm getting surgery?,"_ he wrote, his expression anxious. The doctor nodded solemnly. "Don't worry Link," he said quickly. "I was just telling Zelda and Young Link that it is a very simple operation. Nothing will go wrong."

The hero merely watched Dr. Mario for a few seconds before flipping the paper over and scribbling furiously on it. He then handed the paper to the doctor, who laughed after reading its contents. "Of course, Link," he responded, "I was actually hoping to start right now. The sooner, the better, right?"

Link nodded in response, and then leaned back on his bed. Dr. Mario turned towards the Princess and Young Link. "I'm afraid you two will have to leave while the surgery is in progress. It should be done in an hour; you can return then." Zelda sighed in a mixture of relief and apprehension, and the two Hylians left, leaving Link with Dr. Mario.

Dr. Mario immediately walked to his cupboard and took out cup of red liquid. He gave it to Link, who eyed it curiously. "This is a potion form of anaesthesia," he explained quickly. The hero sighed, knowing all too well how vile potions tasted. He pinched his nose and tipped the contents of the bottle into his mouth quickly; trying his best not to spit them back out. As soon as he swallowed, his vision became blurry, and he was suddenly more aware of the pain exploding from his stomach. He closed his eyes and opened them again, seeing Dr. Mario's face. "Relax," the doctor said softly, "it's better to let yourself sleep instead of fighting the potion."

As soon as the doctor finished speaking, Link relaxed and the world turned dark.

* * *

Feeling slightly apprehensive, Young Link decided to go to the living room and watch TV. He figured it would be the best way to relieve his stress and spend time with the other Smashers. Sure enough, when he walked into the room, he saw Ness, Lucas, Nana, and Popo watching a movie. Nana waved at him, but when the others saw Young Link, they immediately fell silent.

The awkward silence may have stretched on for at least a minute until Young Link walked towards them and sat down on the couch. He focused on the movie for a few moments, until Nana tapped his shoulder. "How's Link doing?" she asked softly.

He smiled gratefully. "He's in surgery now, but Dr. Mario says he'll be fine after a week or so."

"That's good to hear," Ness said. Young Link looked towards him. Ness smiled as he continued speaking. "I've known Link since the Super Smash Brothers started, so...I was worried." Lucas and Popo were listening too, so Ness reached over and turned off the remote. "Listen," he said, "we all thought this thing was your fault because you hated Link so much, and you seemed okay with him saving you like that."

Young Link's eyes widened. "What? I thought that—"

"You didn't let me finish," Ness interrupted. "Nana told us we were wrong, and we realize that now." Young Link looked at the other young Smashers carefully, as they all nodded in agreement. "So," Ness continued, "can we start over? I think it would be great if we all were friends."

Young Link remained quiet, thinking about everything that has happened since he arrived at Smash Mansion. Before this moment, everything was dark, muddled, and unclear, but now it was all clear as the daylight streaming through the curtains. He looked down at his hands, at the Triforce of Courage, the triangles shining brilliantly with a soft golden light. Then he looked up.

"Of course we can start over."

* * *

"Why isn't he awake yet?"

Loud voices surrounded him, but he was too exhausted to decipher them. Especially since this agonizing pain seemed to suffocate him. Thinking was nearly impossible, so he kept his eyes closed and tried to fall back asleep. The sharp pain in his head, however, seemed to keep him from doing that, so he kept listening.

"Relax, Zelda, you of all people here are aware of Link's sleep capacity." Another voice, male. "Besides, I gave him a strong potion. Didn't want to risk him waking up in the middle of the operation."

Operation...oh yes, that's right. He was supposed to get surgery, and Dr. Mario was supposed to have removed the poison. So how come he felt so awful then? He kept his eyes closed, feeling that he would regret it the moment he opened them.

He heard footsteps next, but Dr. Mario kept talking. "Link, good to see you." _It must be Young Link_, Link thought. He immediately forced his eyes open, and regretted it when the bright lights nearly blinded him. Link turned his neck towards Dr. Mario, wincing from the stiffness.

"Link!" the boy cried out. Zelda, who was sitting on the chair next to Link's bed, stood up. Link smiled, feeling his headache recede slightly. Unfortunately, that didn't help the extreme pain radiating from his stomach (which was wrapped neatly with bandages) or the vertigo that dotted his vision. He looked up at Zelda, finally seeing the dark spots below her eyes. "Zelda?" he breathed.

She jumped, and looked towards the bed. Link was sitting up, looking relatively normal compared to how he was a few hours ago. "You look exhausted," he whispered sorrowfully. "Have you been spending all your time here? When did you sleep last?" She didn't respond because she honestly didn't know what to say. She walked towards him slowly, and attempted to place her shaking hand on his forehead. He pushed her hand off gently. "Zelda, I'm fine," he lied, keeping his face emotionless. "I'm worried about you. Go get some rest."

She shook her head resolutely, feeling tears forming in her eyes.

"Princess," Dr. Mario said, "I agree. The last thing I need is another occupant here." Link smiled apologetically at him as he spoke.

"Fine, I'll go. But, if anything happens, Link, don't think I'll do this again," she blurted. She left quickly, wiping the tears from her eyes as she left.

Link sighed as she left, his face twisting in pain as he sank into his pillows. Young Link sat down in the chair next to Link's bed, but the hero seemed to refuse to look at him. His eyes were closed, even though the boy could tell that Link was still awake. Finally, Dr. Mario ended the awkward silence that began the moment Zelda left. "Link, how are you feeling now?"

The hero opened his eyes again and looked up at the doctor, carefully avoiding Young Link's gaze. "Well," he said softly, "I can talk now; so I'm assuming that's a good sign. And I don't feel extremely cold or sick or anything really." He tried to sit up straight again, but groaned when he tried to move upwards. "The pain is a lot worse, though," he admitted, wincing as he shifted slightly.

The doctor nodded. "That's only because of the surgery," he explained. "In any case, I think you will need some medication, so I will have to leave the Mansion to get it for you. Once the potion wears off completely you're going to need it since the pain will be unimaginable." He glanced towards Young Link, who was oddly silent through the whole conversation. "I trust that you won't do anything too stupid, right? I fear that leaving you with a younger version of yourself might lead to chaos."

Link chuckled, but didn't look at Young Link. After those dreams...he couldn't do it. He looked at the doctor. "I'll try my best," he responded, smiling. He closed his eyes against the bright lights, wanting to sleep, but his stomach protesting angrily against the idea of moving from his propped position.

"You don't look very comfortable."

Link opened his eyes. He realized that some time must have passed because Dr. Mario was long gone, and Young Link was staring at him from his seat next to Link's bed. The older teen sighed, and looked towards the ceiling.

"Link?" The boy's tone was anxious now, and Link didn't know how he was supposed to respond. "Is everything okay?"

Honestly? Nothing was okay. The pain in his stomach was intensifying by the second and all he could think about were those dreams—or were they visions? Desperate for an answer, he finally turned his head towards Young Link, who was looking concerned. "Be honest with me," Link whispered hoarsely, "when you returned from your future did your Zelda try to kill you for sneaking into the palace?"

Young Link's eyes widened in shock, and tears immediately filled his eyes. His head fell into his hands. "How did you know?" he asked softly, not looking up at Link, who was looking upward with the crown of his head touching the wall behind him. His eyes were closed so tight that tears fell slowly from them. The pain...

"I..." His voice caught in his throat and he swallowed, focusing on speaking somewhat coherently. "During the surgery I dreamed about it," he admitted. "From the battle with Ganondorf. The dream was going the way it had with me, and then it changed." He knew his words made little sense; even thinking about it in his head confused him. He didn't care. All he cared about was the fire that was burning all his senses, making it impossible to scream.

Young Link was silent, but he looked up at Link, not really reacting to his older self's position. He felt suddenly far away, as though he was alone and no one could really hear him. "When I approached her at the courtyard, she called her guards and arrested me. I tried to get her to see reason, but she wouldn't." He sniffed, wiping the tears from his eyes. "It was an accident; I promise...I just got so angry, Link."

Link was looking down at Young Link now. "What happened?" he whispered, even though he knew from his dream how to answer that. But he knew it was important to get Young Link to get all of it off his chest.

"She visited me in the dungeons one night, and I was thinking about everything I have done, and I realized it was all a waste. Going to a future that was destined for doom, only to return and get no thanks and Navi leaving...I was furious. The moment she walked into my cell, I jumped up and tried to kill her with my bare hands." He chuckled darkly. "I almost succeeded, too. The guards ran in and knocked me out. A few days later, I was to be executed, but I got the letter from Smash Mansion and escaped the prison. And here I am...The reason I acted so horribly towards you was that I was angry and jealous, I suppose." His eyes, no longer filled with tears, but with a desperate sadness, shifted towards Link. The hero stared back at him for a few seconds, his eyes understanding and compassionate.

"It's okay," he breathed, the pain floating back to him suddenly. He tried to hunch over to stop the pain, but that only worsened it tremendously and he bit back a scream. "Link...you've done the right thing. Don't forget...you're not alone." His voice was barely above a whisper, but when he finished talking, the pain took a hold of him and he fell into a peaceful and dreamless sleep.

Young Link didn't react, not even when the door burst open minutes later and Dr. Mario ran in with the medicine. He didn't say a word even when the doctor told him to leave; he just stood up slowly, muted by shock, and left.

* * *

Zelda sat near her window, staring outside at the snow that fell steadily to the ground. After sleeping for a few hours, she decided to clean her room a little bit, knowing that Link will be fine on his own. She just finished and sat down, her shoulders sagging from an invisible weight. As she watched Kirby and Jigglypuff floating around in the snow outside, she heard her bedroom door open behind her.

She didn't turn around; why should she if this person didn't have the decency to knock before entering? The footsteps approached her and stopped. The person sat down slowly in the chair behind her.

"I did not realize it was snowing."

Her heart immediately leapt to her throat. The voice—its warmth has given her hope; it has given her light even in the darkest of times. And it has been long—far too long—since she last heard it at its full volume. She turned around slowly, not wanting to believe it.

"Of course, if the infirmary had windows this would not be an issue," Link continued, "and I had no idea that Kirby and Jigglypuff could not make a snowman. You would think that being round would somehow give them an advantage in making round objects out of snow." He wore a fresh T-shirt and sweatpants, and looked relatively exhausted. The large amount of bandages wrapped around his midsection seemed to prevent him from sitting comfortably, and he frowned as he shifted in his chair.

She stared. How was she supposed to respond to that? That was, without a doubt, the oddest thing she ever heard him say.

Link began to laugh then (something he didn't really do often), hunching over as the laughter consumed him. He broke off suddenly with a curse and sat up straight, his piercing gaze preventing her from uttering a word. "Sorry, Zel, I think the pain medication Dr. Mario gave me made me kinda loopy," he explained, placing his hand gingerly on his stomach. "It's beginning to wear off, though," he said with a grimace.

She cleared her throat. "Do you want to go back to the infirmary?" she asked quietly.

"No," Link replied with a chuckle. "Dr. Mario told me not to come back until the pain gets really bad. I think he got sick of me hanging around the infirmary all day. Of course, that's not my fault. And I'm sure I'll be back there in less than an hour. And I think he got annoyed about my ramblings about the different types of ammunition one could use for a slingshot. Do you want to hear about it?"

She laughed, realizing that she never heard him say so many words so quickly. "No, Link, I think we can save that conversation for a day when you're not high from medication."

He smiled again, and moved his chair next to hers. They stared outside the window, entranced by the snowflakes that fell slowly to the ground. A few minutes passed, and Zelda looked again at Link, who was staring outside with tears streaming down his cheeks. He noticed her staring and tried to wipe his tears away. As he moved his hand away from his eyes, she saw that the sparkle that was in his eyes a few minutes ago was gone. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Link exhaled and attempted to lean back on his chair, but he gasped in pain and sat straight again. "I know why Young Link was so cold towards us when he first came here," he said slowly. "And everything that happened to him has shocked me. I don't know what I would have done if I were in his position." He squeezed his eyes shut, the tears still forming at the corners.

"I don't expect you to tell me what happened to him since you know best how he would feel about that," she replied finally. His eyes opened while she spoke, and she almost gasped at how pained and agonized they appeared. She moved closer to him and grabbed his hands, which were shaking. "We just have to be there for him now. He may not admit it, but he looks up to both of us. Especially you."

He stared at her, and she briefly wondered if he was acting so insecure and emotional because of the medication. "What am I supposed to say to someone who has gone through so much more than I have? How do I help him when I don't even understand how he hasn't killed himself? I would have done it if I were in his position," he admitted finally.

Zelda gasped inaudibly. _What happened to Young Link that would drive him so close to suicide?_ she wondered. She pushed the thought out of her mind, and slowly moved her chair so she was right in front of Link. "I guess we'll learn together. We can at least be older siblings to him," she explained. Link was staring at her, his expression so vulnerable and pained and..._Just do it_, Zelda thought to herself, her heart pounding rapidly.

She quickly pushed herself forward and placed her lips on his. He seemed shocked at first but then kissed her back, with the tears freely flowing from his eyes. She could taste his salty tears, but it didn't matter because now she felt she felt all the pain he felt. And maybe, just maybe, things will be okay.

They continued kissing as the snow fell; the beautiful simplicity and whiteness adding a picturesque characteristic to the lands.

* * *

The tournament was coming up in about a few days, and Young Link was determined to train every day until then. A few days have passed since he told Link the truth, but he hasn't visited him since. Part of him felt worried that his older self would not appreciate his visit at the moment.

For that reason, he was extremely shocked when Link approached him while he was training. "What are you doing here?" he asked after the older Link called his name. Young Link noticed the pallor in Link's face and how his cheekbones seemed more prominent than usual, but did not comment.

Link thought for a moment before responding. "We realized that there were a few differences between us, Link," he said. He coughed once then smiled. "But, Zelda told me you've been training every day for the tournament, and I realized...we really aren't that different, aren't we?"

Young Link looked up, and realized that for the first time in about a week, Link's eyes seemed to express extreme happiness and joy, rather than the usual agony. He swallowed, feeling the same joy bubbling inside. "You're right," he answered. "Of course, we are the same person, so if we acted completely differently I would be slightly worried."

His older self chuckled and slowly lowered himself to the ground, wincing. "Dr. Mario told me I can be in the tournament if I don't push myself too hard. The thing is, I don't exactly know what _too hard_ means. There isn't much time to prepare," he muttered. Young Link sheathed his sword and sat down across from Link.

"Do you think we could help each other, then?" Young Link asked after some silence. Link looked up at him, curious. "I mean, you're older than me, so you obviously have more experience. Especially since you've been here for a while now. You can tell me what to expect and how everyone fights here. And I can help you get back on your feet and recover." He immediately thought it was a bad idea and looked towards the ground as he finished speaking.

Link slowly stood up and pulled his sword out of his sheath. Young Link looked up when he heard the Master Sword slide gracefully out of the sheath, and jumped to his feet, pulling his own sword out. "Let's do it," Link said, grinning.

They did not leave until Zelda came searching for them at the end of the day.

* * *

He sat squirming in his seat next to Ness and Nana. The stadium was more crowded than usual; spectators were eagerly awaiting Link's return for weeks now, and finally the day arrived. Young Link smiled, thinking fondly of the past few days that he and Link spent training for the tournament. At first, it seemed impossible for Link to keep himself upright while training; after a few minutes he would collapse to the ground in exhaustion. However, whenever Young Link asked him if he needed a break, Link's eyes would burn in anger and passion, and he would pull himself to his feet. That drive and determination brought him back to how he was a few weeks ago, before this all happened.

Young Link came out of his reverie when he saw Zelda sit down a few rows ahead of him with Peach and Samus. For a fleeting moment, he felt ridiculously happy. He hasn't felt so jovial since before he left the Kokiri forest, which felt like many, many years ago. Despite everything that happened after his journey, he knew that he now was surrounded by people who cared for him immensely.

"Ladies and gentlemen...Are you ready for the next match in the first round of the tournament?" the announcer called.

The crowd went wild, screaming in joy. Young Link found himself also calling out, allowing himself to express his happiness. It was clear that everyone was ready.

The announcer seemed to chuckle into his microphone. "All right, then...let's go!"

Link appeared on the stage, gripping his sword in his left hand. Moments later, his opponent appeared on the other side of the stage.

"3...2...1..GO!"

**...And that's it! I have a feeling that some of you may want to know what happens next, but the point of the story is to sort of bring Link and Young Link together. Also, if I kept writing, I have a feeling this story would just never end. lol.**

**I kind of feel like I rushed the ending a bit, but that's because I was working on this for too long and I wanted to post it asap. How was the Zelink kiss scene bt-dubs? It was my first written kiss scene and I have no experience in these things so...I hope it wasn't to awkward?**

**This isn't really my best writing, but I hope you enjoyed!**

**~Pandora**


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